Lara Gillespie begins Giro d’Italia Women with superb second place after race leader disqualified

Irish rider Lara Gillespie had a fine start to her Giro d’Italia Women campaign on Saturday, sprinting to an excellent third place on stage one and later being declared the runner-up.

Lara Gillespie begins Giro d’Italia Women with superb second place after race leader disqualified. Irish rider Lara Gillespie had a fine start to her Giro d’Italia Women campaign on Saturday, sprinting to an excellent third place on stage one and later being declared the runner-up. The Enniskerry rider crossed the line in Ravenna behind Lorena Wiebes and Elisa Balsamo, securing her second podium in a grand tour stage race after her third place on stage four of last year’s Tour de France Femmes. Sensationally, Wiebes has now been disqualified from the race, being stripped of both the stage win and her race leader’s pink jersey. “Lorena Wiebes was expelled from the Giro d’Italia Women following a breach of article 2.12.007 – 2.2: use of a bicycle not in compliance with the regulations, specifically failing to meet the minimum weight require...